Stories in the Making

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my impact and my family's impact in terms of the products we use, and particularly the ones we dispose.  Since digging into this, it's feeling for me very much like a party I am SUPER late to, but one whose block-rockin' beats I've been hearing in my periphery for years.  I've finally hit a straw-and-the-camel-back point in our household where I'm ready to get pretty darn militant about it (possibly I stepped on one tiny sharp plastic toy too many - Kinder Eggs, I'm lookin' at you), and I decided to take Yarn...

This month I've been thinking a lot about how to make my crafts more eco-friendly.  One thing in particular I try to combat in my house is plastic shopping bags.  Despite the fact that I have been using cloth shopping bags for years, I can't seem to completely eliminate the plastic ones from my life.  I just hate throwing them out.  Every time I see those heart-wrenching images of sea creatures inundated with plastic bags I think "Oh my god, is that pink floating one MINE?" which of course is exactly their aim.  GOOD JOB YOU GUYS, I AM TOTALLY...

Sandy shared a delightful pair of socks, aptly called Fine Socks, a pattern by Kim Petryshen. Sandy knit hers in Fleece Artist Cottage Socks. Fine Socks, photo via JoEdgett, Ravelry Gillian brought in her Oban Sweater, a classic looking cabled sweater by Thea Colman. The yarn she used is Blue Moon Targhee Worsted Oban Sweater, photo via Thea Colman, Ravelry Valerie earned some ooo's and ahhh's from the Yarn Club crowd with her stunning Stained Glass Cowl by Wendy D. Johnson. The yarns she used are Cascade Heritage Paints and Ella Rae Lace Merino. Stained Glass Cowl, photo via RioBioBIo,...

As my meeting reminder emailed said, who doesn't love an alpaca? Wendy Cross from Lady Slipper Alpacas was our guest at our last meeting before breaking for the summer. Wendy shared pictures of her lovely alpaca herd and told us all about these critters. Wendy got into raising alpacas kind of by accident, she told us how she and her husband wanted some animals for their farm and thought alpacas looked cute. It seems bringing home a cute and cuddly animal is a great way to kick start a new business venture! Fast forward a bit and Wendy now has...

This month was a great roundup of your recently finished items, thank you to everyone who shared! Judy shared two different projects with us, here's her Cirrus, which can be best described as a combination sweater/poncho. Nancy O'Connell is the designer, you'll find this pattern published in Shibui Knits. Judy made hers in an Americo original yarn held together with Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace. Cirrus, photo via Shibui Knits, Ravelry Judy's second share was actually two items - an adorable matching pair of ponchos for a set of twins! This is Temptation Poncho and Hat Set by Tatsiana Matsiuk. She used...